Hotel and Inn Review: Hyatt Terraces Hotel (Baguio City, Benguet)

Date of Stay: April 2 - 4, 1986

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *******

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: ********

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: *******

Food and Beverage: *********

Other Amenities: ********

Value for Money: *******

Hyatt Terraces Hotel

Suite 711

Located on a pine tree-clad hill along South Drive, near Camp John Hay, the Hyatt Terraces Hotel, said to be the grandest hotel outside Metro Manila, is an architectural showcase of primitive mountain art and contemporary Western design.  

Its magnificent and picturesque atrium lobby, best viewed from its interior scenic elevator, is decorated with colorful, handwoven tapestries and refreshing greenery.  

This 303-room hotel has 220 de luxe rooms (Grace and I stayed in Suite 711), all with with private bath, TV and private balconies, plus 4 duplex penthouses, 40 executive suites with fireplaces and kitchens, and 50 executive suites with kitchenettes.  

The Copper Grill

This hotel also has 3 specialty restaurants (Copper Grill, Kaili Cafe/Restaurant), 2 bars,  a disco (Gold Mine), casino and convention facilities for 220 persons.  

View of city from the balcony

NOTE:At 4:26 PM, on July 16, 1990, a little over 4 years after our stay, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Luzon, killing 1,621 people.  In Baguio City, 28 buildings collapsed during the earthquake.  One of the most prominent buildings destroyed was the Hyatt Terraces Hotel when the central wing's terraced front collapsed, like an accordion, onto the hotel lobby, killing 98 employees and guests. However, 3 hotel employees were still pulled out alive after international rescue teams had abandoned the site, convinced that there were no more survivors.  Eleven days after the earthquake, Luisa Mallorca and Arnel Calabia were extricated from the rubble while, 3 days later, cook Pedrito Dy was also recovered.  All 3 survived by drinking their own urine while, in Dy's case, he also drank rain water.  Dy's 14-day ordeal was cited as a world record for entombment under rubble.  Today, all that remains in the site, still undeveloped and said to be haunted, is its old fountain.